The Democratic party is on track to secure a wider margin of control in the lower chamber than initial estimates suggested as late returns from the midterm elections are finalized. A current projection indicates Democrats will hold 262 seats, an increase from earlier forecasts by NBC that predicted the party would win at least 250 seats and suggested a probable 258-177 split in favor of the Democrats.
The results come as Republicans lose at least 21 seats in the current cycle, a decline that occurred despite the adoption of new congressional maps. Republican strategist Steve Bannon described the projecting losses as a “wake-up call” for his party, comparing the shift to the 2010 Tea Party movement where the party in power lost 63 seats.